Was able to get a full body kit from invisibleShield (Version Two) for the iPhone the other week and resolved to get it onto my unit despite my foreboding over self-application of these things (we have lotsa rowdy dogs in the house - imagine swirling dust and floating dog hair and you’ll understand my apprehension).
The invisibleShield’s hype is that material was originally meant to protect the leading edge of helicopter rotor blades, which is indeed something to think about. While the invulnerability seems spot-on, the invisible part is a bit overstated. After final application the surface is a bit ripply or wavy (not overly so, but you can tell if you look close), like a flat lake a coupla minutes after someone skipped a rock on it. Or another description would be a vaguely dimply surface, like a gigantic orange seen up close. But yeah, you can’t tell right off there’s something there.
So I locked up the dogs, found a quiet place and went at it.
The package includes the skins, a spray bottle, a squeegee, a warranty card and instruction sheet.
The new version has nine separate pieces you need to put on for the full effect. I just put on the front and back and the round one for the Home button. The small ones are tougher to put on - two strips that fit the top and bottom chrome bezel, and four little teardrop shapes to cover the corners. I’m still undecided if I’ll use the others or not. Frankly, just the front skin does it for me.
I’m glad that there is a liquid spray you use to apply the skin - just spray the sticky side, slide it around while it’s wet until it’s in the right position, and then squeegee out the bubbles with the excellent rubber squeegee that comes with the package. The front was a no-brainer, but the back was a bit of a challenge to position perfectly, since the iPhone has rounded corners and the back has cutouts for the switches and buttons that have to be spot-on.
Couple of tips: spray your fingers before you peel off any backing paper from the skin and spray even the non-sticky side (this tip is in the instruction sheet) so you avoid the material sticking to you, and minimize fingerprints. The other tip, for the corners which don’t readily stick, is you’d need to do them one by one, and hold down the surface for a couple of minutes - if they are really uncooperative, use rubbing alcohol (sparingly) as your liquid.
Despite my care, I got me a few tiny bubbles on the back, but the instructions said they disappear after a couple of days, which was true enough. I overlooked one noticeable bubble that didn’t go away, and I couldn’t squeegee it off. I figured I’d prick it and squeeze the air out to make it smaller, but a pin or even the tip of a fresh No. 11 Exacto blade couldn’t puncture the darned thing to let the air out. Tough is right. It’s ok, I guess I can live with it.
It’s true, it takes a bit of work to put on (took me nearly an hour before I was happy) but once it’s on and dried up after a day, it’s wonderful. Hard to tell it’s there, and it’s real tough - even deliberate and vigorous key-scratching won’t damage your screen. Since the material is supposedly meant for protecting helicopter blades, it had better not. (I’m impressed by the lifetime warranty and free replacement policy if it ever rips or peels off - now that’s standing by your product!). It adds a little grip, and even improves your use of the multi touch screen, although people used to the slip-and-slide of a bare iPhone might find it a bit sticky at first; pinching pictures takes a little getting used to with an invisibleShield on.
If you hate the bulk that a case adds, stick with just this, and at least you don’t have to be afraid of nicks and scratches anymore.
